Typically rain-soaked Washington state slammed by snow again

Mon., Feb. 11, 2019, 12:48 p.m.

A City of Olympia sanding truck makes it way up a street on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, in Olympia, Wash. Pacific Northwest residents who are more accustomed to rain than snow are digging out from a winter storm and bracing for more. (Steve Bloom/The Olympian via AP) ORG XMIT: WAOLY201 (Steve Bloom / AP)

SEATTLE – Schools closed across Washington state and the Legislature cancelled all hearings Monday as snow and ice storms pummeled the Northwest again, with more winter storms predicted for areas that typically experience very rainy winters but usually get very little snow.

Seattle’s metro area has already been hit by three snow storms this month and the National Weather Service reports that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has received 14.1 inches of snow so far in February.

In the state capital of Olympia, state lawmakers cancelled meetings and the University of Washington in Seattle and Washington State University in Pullman called off classes.

The latest storm to hit Seattle dumped 2 and 4 inches of snow and forecasters said more snow or rain was expected Monday and Tuesday for Washington state.

“Where changeover from snow to rain occurs, roads will likely become a slushy mess,” the National Weather Service said.

A tractor-trailer hauling live chickens crashed on slick Interstate 5 near Olympia. Some chickens escaped but officials said the driver was not injured.

In Northern California, Humboldt County beaches that have not had snow in more than 15 years received a dusting and blizzard conditions caused whiteout conditions on mountain roads.

Elsewhere around the U.S., the Midwest braced for more ice storms, heavy snow was expected for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and roads in northern Utah were icy.